Inpatient/Transplant Unit Nurse
Short Description
The inpatient (transplant unit) nurse cares for you after surgery on the floor. They check you in from PACU, monitor vitals, urine, and pain, manage lines and drains, teach your new routines, and keep you safe and steady.
That first handoff: when you arrive on the unit, your nurse orients you to the room, reviews the plan for the next few days, and makes sure pain, nausea, and safety are under control. It sets the tone for recovery.
Main Priorities
- Admission check: review allergies, meds, pain level, incision/lines, and fall risk; set call-light and safety plan.
- Monitoring: blood pressure, oxygen, heart rate, temperature, urine output, weight, and labs as ordered.
- Pain & nausea: give and adjust meds per orders; escalate if control isn’t adequate.
- Lines & devices: Foley, IVs, JP drain, wound vac—check, secure, measure output, and teach basics.
- Early mobility & breathing: help you walk in the hall, use the incentive spirometer, and prevent clots.
- Medication teaching: names, timing, trough-lab timing (draw before morning dose), what to do if a dose is late.
- Coordination: relay changes to the providers; help schedule tests, consults, and discharge teaching.
Issues They Work With
- Pain not controlled or pain that spikes with movement—update the team for better options.
- Nausea/vomiting that interferes with meds or eating—treat and adjust timing.
- Low/high urine output, Foley kinks, or cloudy urine—assess and notify the provider.
- Blood pressure swings or dizziness—safety first, then medication/fluids per orders.
- Wound/drain concerns: redness, drainage, odor, vacuum alarms—troubleshoot and escalate.
- Sleep & fatigue: cluster care, quiet hours, and simple routines so you can rest.
When to Go to Them
- During your stay: use the call button for pain, nausea, help to the bathroom, or if anything feels wrong.
- Daily: ask about your goals (walks, spirometer, lines coming out), lab timing, and the plan for tomorrow.
- Before discharge: review your med schedule, first lab/clinic dates, wound care, drain/stent plans, and who to call from home.
- After discharge: your first contact is the transplant clinic/nurse coordinator; the unit nurse doesn’t follow you at home.
What They Don’t Handle (Boundaries)
- They don’t set long-term doses or change immunosuppression independently—providers do.
- They don’t handle insurance approvals, refills, or work/benefit forms—coordinator/financial/social work handle those.
- They don’t manage outpatient concerns after you leave—call the clinic/on-call line as directed.
Informational only; titles and workflows vary by hospital. Follow your team’s specific instructions.